有時候，我們聽到有人談到自己喜歡做的事情時會說：「那是我的呼召。」但是，這個神秘的「呼召」究竟是什麼呢？從我的經驗來看，呼召（calling）是我們的興趣（interests）、天賦（giftedness）和機會（opportunity）相互匯集的地方，是我們能夠表現出色的「最佳位置」。

「天賦giftedness」和「才能talent」 這兩個詞是經常互換使用的詞語。曾經有一位老師說過一句話，我一直記得，他說：「「才能」是那些不想付出努力的人，用來描述那些真正付出努力的人的評語。」這句話也許不是完全正確，但值得思考。

我們可以把「天賦」或「才能」描述為「極度熱情的興趣」。如果有人對一個主題如此感興趣或充滿熱情，以至於他們願意，比其他人花更多的時間學習、練習或探索它，我們常常會說他們具有天賦，他們讓所做的事情看起來如此輕鬆自如！

天賦，比起天生的能力，是否更多的是指對學習的渴望和能力呢？例如，如果我們花足夠的時間和努力，去學習演奏樂器，或許有人會稱讚我們「有天賦」。如果我們說某個人很有天賦，其實是在說，這個人比大多數人，願意投入更多的時間和精力在他們所追求的領域上。

如果我們對某件事情非常熱愛，以至於花費了大部分的時間學習、實踐和提升自己，當我們有機會使用這些技能時，我們可以說這是我們的「呼召」。我很確定，如果我們能夠在自己的呼召中工作，那麼工作就會變成一種喜樂。我們不想停下來，而且在從事此工作時，時間過得很快，我們可能會感覺自己就是為此而生的。

相反地，如果從事的工作不是自己的呼召，那麼工作就可能會變成苦差事。這種情況下，工作變得越來越困難，我們也因此做得不好。有多少人覺得自己正在從事被呼召的工作？根據許多人表示不喜歡自己的工作，我猜這個數字應該很少。如果我們永遠無法感受到自己存在的目的所帶來的興奮，那將是一件可悲的事。

在成長的過程中，我對天賦有一種誤解，認為要麼我有天賦，要麼就沒有。如果我嘗試了某些看似困難的事情，但沒有立即獲得成功，我就會認為我在這個領域沒有天賦。然而，隨著年齡的增長，我發現透過更加努力地工作、更多地學習，或從導師那裡獲得指導，我可以發展出這項技能。

同時，對於基督徒來說，我們從聖經中知道，上帝會呼召並裝備我們，去擔任特定的服事角色。詩篇139篇14節宣稱:「我們受造是「奇妙可畏」」，我相信這包括了我們特別的興趣和能力。

使徒保羅在描述教會或聖經所稱「基督的身體」時寫道：「正如我們一個身子上有好些肢體，肢體也不都是一樣的用處。我們這許多人，在基督裡成為一身，互相聯絡作肢體，也是如此。按我們所得的恩賜，各有不同。…..」（羅馬書12章4-8節）為了更好地發揮功用，我們應該貢獻自己的恩賜，完成自己的呼召。

一個人的天賦或呼召，是一種熱情和強大的動力，激發我們投入必要的時間、尋求最好的老師，並發展出帶來生命意義和喜樂的才能。

©2023 Jim Mathis是堪薩斯州歐弗蘭帕克的作家，攝影師和企業主。他的最新著作是【駱駝和針: 基督徒看財富和金錢。The Camel and the Needle：A Christian Looks at Wealth and Money】他曾任堪薩斯州堪薩斯城和密蘇里州堪薩斯城的咖啡店經理和CBMC執行理事。

備註：如果你有聖經，想閱讀更多相關的內容，請考慮下面的經文（因篇幅有限，請自行查閱未列出之經文：哥林多前書12:12-27）：

詩篇139篇15-18節
139:15 我在暗中受造，在地的深處被聯絡；那時，我的形體並不向你隱藏。
139:16 我未成形的體質，你的眼早已看見了；你所定的日子，我尚未度一日，你都寫在你的冊上了。
139:17 神啊，你的意念向我何等寶貴！其數何等眾多！
139:18 我若數點，比海沙更多；我睡醒的時候，仍和你同在。
羅馬書12章6-8節
12:6 按我們所得的恩賜，各有不同。或說預言，就當照着信心的程度說(預言)；
12:7 或作執事，就當(專一)執事；或作教導的，就當(專一)教導；
12:8 或作勸化的，就當(專一)勸化；施捨的，就當誠實；治理的，就當殷勤；憐憫人的，就當甘心。
以弗所書4章11-13節
4:11 他所賜的，有使徒，有先知，有傳福音的，有牧師和教師，
4:12 為要成全聖徒，各盡其職，建立基督的身體，
4:13 直等到我們眾人在真道上同歸於一，認識神的兒子，得以長大成人，滿有基督長成的身量，

反省與問題討論

1. 當你聽到有人提到一個人的「呼召」時，你通常會聯想到什麼？
2. 如果有人問你，你認為自己的呼召是什麽，你會如何回答？為什麼你會這樣回答？
3. 天賦或呼召是由「極度熱情的興趣」所帶來的，這種熱情驅使一個人花費大量時間探索、練習，甚至願意從別人身上學習更多相關知識。你對這種說法有什麼看法？
4. 如果一個人目前還不確定自己的呼召是什麽，你認為他應該如何去了解自己的呼召並培養它？

CAPITALIZING ON THE CONCEPT OF PERSONAL CALLING

By   Jim Mathis

Sometimes we hear some say, about things they enjoy doing, “That is my calling.” But what is this mysterious thing we sometimes refer to as “calling”? Experience has taught me that calling is that place where our interests, giftedness, and opportunity intersect, the “sweet spot” where we excel.

Giftedness and talent are terms often used interchangeably. I had a teacher who made a statement I have never forgotten. He said, “Talent is a word used by people who don’t want to do the work to describe those that do.” That may not be entirely true, but it is worth thinking about. 

We might describe giftedness or talent is “turbocharged interest.” If someone is so interested in or passionate about a subject that they are willing to spend more time studying it, practicing it, or learning about it than the next person, we often say they are gifted. They make what they are doing look so easy!

Is it possible that talent, more than innate ability, is the desire and capacity to learn? For instance, if we spend enough time and effort learning to play an instrument well, someone might declare us “talented.” If we say someone is talented, we are really saying that person has dedicated a lot more time and attention to their particular pursuit than most of us would be willing to devote.

If we love something so much that we spend much of our life learning about it, doing it, and getting better at it, when we have opportunities to use that skill, we can say that we are called – that this is our calling. I do know that if we are working within our calling, work is a joy. We don’t want to stop, and time passes quickly while we are doing it. We may feel as if we were born to do it.

By contrast, working outside of our calling can become drudgery. Work becomes increasingly difficult, and we often do a poor job as a result. What percentage of people feel they are doing what they were called to do? I would guess it is a small number, based on how many people say they don’t like their jobs. It would be sad to never never sense the excitement of what we were put here to do.

When I was growing up, I had a misconception of what talent is, thinking I either had it or I didn’t. If I tried something that seemed hard and did not find immediate success, I assumed I wasn’t talented in that area. As I grew older, however, I learned that by working harder, learning more about it, or getting instruction from a mentor, I could develop that skill.

At the same time, for those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ, we know from the Scriptures that God does call and equip each of us for specific roles of service. Psalm 139:14 declares we are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” and I believe that includes our special interests and abilities.

Describing the Church or what the Bible terms “the body of Christ,” the apostle Paul wrote, “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts…” (Romans 12:4-8). To function best, we should each contribute our gifts – fulfill our calling.

One’s gift or calling is the passion, the turbo-charged interest, that motivates us to put in the necessary time, seek out the best teachers, and develop the talents that bring meaning and joy to our lives.

© 2023. Jim Mathis is a writer, photographer and small business owner in Overland Park, Kansas. His latest book is The Camel and the Needle, A Christian Looks at Wealth and Money. He formerly was executive director of CBMC in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A.

Reflection/Discussion Questions

1. When you hear someone refer to a person’s “calling,” what typically comes to your mind?
2. If someone were to ask you what you consider your calling, how would you respond? And why would you answer in that way?
3. What is your reaction to the statement that one’s talent or calling is the result of “turbo-charged interest” that motivates a person to spend considerable amounts of time studying about something, practicing about it, and even being willing to learn more about it from someone else?
4. How do you think someone should go about learning about their calling and cultivating it, if they are not presently certain about what that calling really is?

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages:
      Psalm 139:15-18; Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:11-13

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